Quilts connect the past with the present and the future.

The title of this post could not be more true with regards to this beautiful gift I received from someone who is very special to me.  My niece Adele. She recently asked me to send her pictures of the beautiful quilt she made so she could show it to her boyfriend. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to show off her work of art. I was very moved to receive this very meaningful gift in the mail.

It is very difficult to do it justice in a photograph, it's beautiful. It has nine squares, each representing part of our family's heritage.

The first square has the name VALLEE on it, which is my mother's maiden name, with hills and valley's depicted. She had virtually no background on the Vallee side of the family.

The second square depicts mountains, water, a tee pee and a canoe, with the words "Mi'kmaq Roots" embroidered on it. To represent some First Nations in our ancestry.

The third square depicts parts of Europe, mainly representing France, as the Comeau family originated in France.

The fourth square depicts a Ship, representing the ship that sailed from France to Nova Scotia, carrying the first Comeau's to Canada in 1663.

The fifth square depicts crosses and a rosary, representing the Roman Catholic faith.

The sixth square depicts the Acadian flag. The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia (located in the Canadian Maritimes)

The seventh square, shown in part above and below, depicts Nova Scotia, Comeauville and Comeau Hill where the Comeau's first settled.

The eight square depicts the Comeau Family Crest.

The Ninth and last square has a Fleur-de-Lis embroidered on it, representing France, but also representing Quebec, where my father raised his family.

This beautiful gift means a lot to me, not only because of what it represents, but because my wonderful niece researched and created it with her hands, and with her heart. Because both my parents died young, and of the effect losing them while we were in out teens had on us, my siblings and I are not close. Our family fell apart at the seams, it may never be properly mended, but this quilt, pulls us all together in a way that touches my heart deeply. I will treasure it always.

About two years ago now, I had the honor to meet my niece for the very first time (she was 23). Because of circumstances neither one of us had control over, we had never met. My brother, who is her father, was not in her life. I found out by chance that she was on "Facebook" and that prompted me to start up my own facebook account and to send her a "friendship request". She responded immediately and was eager and interested in establishing a relationship with me, her Auntie. We were both awestruck at how alike we are, both in appearance and in nature. As we got to know each other, we discovered more and more things we have in common. The connection was immediate for both of us. She explained to me how she grew up wondering about her ancestry. She was told very little about my brother's side of the family and the need to know where she came from prompted her to research our genealogy. She compiled as much information as she could and created a Comeau family tree dating back to 1450  (France).  It is fascinating to me that someone so young would show an interest in ancestry to this extent. I did my best to provide her with photos of her grandparents (my parents) as well as their parents, and other family members in an effort to appease her curiosity and interest. She loved and absorbed every bit of information I was willing to share with her.

We grew closer and she visited us for the first time in July 2009. Here is a photo of the two of us at the airport.

My niece Adele will forever be part of my heart.

Thank you Adele.

xx

Sandra